Cryogenic storage apparatus, particularly with automatic retrieval

Abstract

A cryogenic storage apparatus comprises a housing with an automatically operated access door. A holder device disposed in the housing supports a plurality of specimen-containing ampules, while a conveyor moves the holder device, together with the plurality of ampules, through cooling fluid in the housing along a path preferably including a snaking portion with vertically extending folds. An inverted L-shaped cooling component with an opened upper side is disposed in the housing for maintaining the cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature. An extraction mechanism disposed outside of the housing at the access door serves to remove a selectable ampule positioned in the housing in juxtaposition to the door. A tracking device automatically tracks the positions of the ampules during motion thereof along the snaking path, while a control unit connected to the tracking device, the drive mechanism, the conveyor and the extraction mechanism activates the conveyor to move a given ampule along the path to the access door, opens the access door, and operates the extraction mechanism to remove the given ampule from the holder device and out through the opened door.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   drive means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, through said fluid in said chamber along a path including a snaking portion, said snaking portion having a plurality of vertically extending folds, said path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said chamber at a predetermined low temperature;   tracking means operatively connected to said conveyor means for automatically tracking the positions of said plurality of receptacles during motion thereof along said path under action of said conveyor means;   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door;   selection means outside of said housing means for enabling a selection of one of said receptacles by an operator; and   control means operatively connected to said selection means, said tracking means, said drive means, said conveyor means and said extraction means for operating said conveyor means, upon selection of a given one of said receptacles via said selection means, to move said given one of said receptacles along said path to said door, for operating said drive means to open said door, for operating said extraction means to remove said given one of said receptacles from said holder means and out through the opened door.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said extraction means includes: a carriage member operatively mounted to said housing means for motion in a direction extending substantially parallel to said door;   first linear drive means for moving said carriage member;   holding means for securing a hold on a selected one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door;   second linear drive means connected to said holding means for moving said holding means along a substantially linear path through said door upon an opening thereof;   a housing portion rotatably mounted to said carriage member, said second linear drive means being at least partially mounted to said housing; and   rotary drive means operatively connected to said housing portion for rotating same relative to said carriage member.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said door has a wedge-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said door engages a sloped surface of said housing means, said means for alternately opening and closing said door including means for sliding said door along said surface. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a pair of flexible endless elements extending along said path, said holder means including a plurality of bar members pivotably connected to and extending between said endless elements. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said cooling means includes a coolant container having at least a portion with a substantially L-shaped cross-section with a pair of hollow substantially planar leg members extending orthogonally with respect to one another, one of said leg members extending horizontally and proximately to an upper wall of said housing means and another of said leg members extending vertically and proximately to a side wall of said housing means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said other of said leg members is formed with cooling fins. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said cooling fins are disposed between said other of said leg members and said side wall. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said one of said leg members has an open upper side. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises a computer. 
     
     
       11. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, through said fluid in said chamber along a path including a snaking portion, said path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature; and   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said snaking portion has a plurality of vertically extending folds. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said extraction means includes: a carriage member operatively mounted to said housing means for motion in a direction extending substantially parallel to said door;   first linear drive means for moving said carriage member in said direction;   holding means for securing a hold on a selected one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door;   second linear drive means connected to said holding means for moving said holding means along a substantially linear path through said door;   a housing portion rotatably mounted to said carriage member, said second linear drive means being at least partially mounted to said housing; and   rotary drive means operatively connected to said housing portion for rotating same relative to said carriage member.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said cooling means includes a coolant container having at least a portion with a substantially L-shaped cross-section with a pair of hollow substantially planar leg members extending orthogonally with respect to one another, one of said leg members extending horizontally and proximately to an upper wall of said housing means and another of said leg members extending vertically and proximately to a side wall of said housing means. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein said one of said leg members has an open upper side. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus defined in claim 11, further comprising: tracking means operatively connected to said conveyor means for automatically tracking the positions of said plurality of receptacles during motion thereof along said path under action of said conveyor means;   selection means outside of said housing means for enabling a selection of one of said receptacles by an operator; and   control means operatively connected to said selection means, said tracking means, said drive means, said conveyor means and said extraction means for operating said conveyor means, upon selection of a given one of said receptacles via said selection means, to move a said given one of said receptacles along said path to said door, for operating said drive means to open said door, for operating said extraction means to remove said given one of said receptacles from said holder means and out through the opened door.   
     
     
       17. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said control means comprises a computer. 
     
     
       18. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing having an access door;   drive means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, along a path through said fluid in said chamber, said path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said chamber at a predetermined low temperature;   tracking means operatively connected to said conveyor mean for automatically tracking the positions of said plurality of receptacles during motion thereof along said path in response to said conveyor means;   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable on of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door;   control means operatively connected to said tracking means, said drive means, said conveyor means and said extraction means for operating said conveyor means to move a given one of said receptacles along said path to said door, for operating said drive means to open said door, and for operating said extraction means to remove said given one of said receptacles from said holder means and out through the opened door.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein said control means and said housing means are disposed at least in part at the same location. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus defined in claim 18, further comprising selection means outside of said housing means for enabling a selection of one of said receptacles by an operator, said control means being operatively connected to said selection means for operating said conveyor means, said drive means and said extraction means upon selection of one of said receptacles via said selection means. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein said cooling means includes a coolant container having at least a portion with a substantially L-shaped cross-section with a pair of hollow substantially planar leg members extending orthogonally with respect to one another, one of said leg members extending horizontally and proximately to an upper wall of said housing means and another of said leg members extending vertically and proximately to a side wall of said housing means. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein said one of said leg members has an open upper side. 
     
     
       23. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, along a path through said fluid in said chamber, said path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature, said cooling means including a coolant container having at least a portion with a substantially L-shaped cross-section with a pair of hollow substantially planar leg members extending orthogonally with respect to one another, one of said leg members extending horizontally and proximately to an upper wall of said housing means and another of said leg members extending vertically and proximately to a side wall of said housing means; and   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door.   
     
     
       24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein said one of said leg members has an open upper side. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus defined in claim 24 wherein said other of said leg members is formed with cooling fins. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus defined in claim 25 wherein said cooling fins are disposed between said other of said leg members and said side wall. 
     
     
       27. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, along a path through said fluid in said chamber, said path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature;   an insulated enclosure outside of said housing means; and   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door and inserting the removed one of said receptacles into said enclosure.   
     
     
       28. The apparatus defined in claim 27 wherein said enclosure is attached to said housing means. 
     
     
       29. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   door shifting means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, through said fluid in said chamber along a cooling path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature; and   a receptacle extraction mechanism disposed outside of said housing means at said door, said extraction mechanism including: a carriage member operatively mounted to said housing means for motion in a direction extending substantially parallel to said door;   first linear drive means for moving said carriage member in said direction;   holding means for securing a hold on a selected one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door;   second linear drive means connected to said holding means for moving said holding means along a substantially linear path through said door;   a housing portion rotatably mounted to said carriage member, said second linear drive means being at least partially mounted to said housing; and   rotary drive means operatively connected to said housing portion for rotating same relative to said carriage member.     
     
     
       30. The apparatus defined in claim 29 wherein said path includes a snaking portion having a plurality of vertically extending folds. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus defined in claim 29, further comprising an insulated enclosure outside of said housing means, said extraction means being operative to transfer said receptacles between said housing means and said insulated enclosure. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus defined in claim 29, further comprising: tracking means operatively connected to said conveyor means for automatically tracking the positions of said plurality of receptacles during motion thereof along said path in response to said conveyor means; and   control means, operatively connected to said tracking means, said first linear drive means, said second linear drive means, said rotary drive means, said conveyor means and said door shifting means, for operating said conveyor means to move a given one of said receptacles along said path to said door, for operating said door shifting means to open said door, and for operating said extraction means to remove said given one of said receptacles from said holder means and out through the opened door.   
     
     
       33. A cryogenic storage apparatus comprising: housing means for defining a storage chamber and for containing a cooling fluid, said housing means having an access door;   door shifting means operatively connected to said door for alternately opening and closing same;   holder means in said chamber for supporting a plurality of specimen-containing receptacles;   conveyor means for moving said holder means, together with said plurality of receptacles, through said fluid in said chamber along a cooling path including a segment juxtaposed to said door;   cooling means at least partially in said chamber for maintaining said cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature;   extraction means disposed outside of said housing means at said door for removing a selectable one of said receptacles positioned in said chamber in juxtaposition to said door; and   verification means at said door for automatically verifying that the correct receptacle has been retrieved by said extraction means.   
     
     
       34. The apparatus defined in claim 33, wherein said verification means includes a laser reader for scanning bar codes attached to said receptacles.